Stole My Heart
by K.I.DofXstream
Summary: Just as Megan & Kate were about to let their new lives begin. A bullet into the head of a stranger brings both of their past lives crashing into their new one together. Ex-lovers, cold cases & broken dreams.
1. Future Plans, Past Faces

_**I just wanted to say thank you again to all of you who read, reviewed, followed and hopefully enjoyed my last Body of Proof, Kegan fan fic Lost and Found. You guys were beyond amazing to me on that fic and I honestly couldn't be more grateful or appreciative, it is you wonderful people who have given me the confidence to come back with this brand new fic. **_

_**As always I hope you enjoy this fic as we go along and if you are kind enough to let me know what you think in a review I can not thank you enough. You're reviews and comments help me so much you have no idea. They keep me writing, give me ideas and are irreplaceable and I really don't know where I would be without them so if any of you do review, here is a huge thank you in advance! HEHE.**_

Anyway enough of me, here is the first chapter... enjoy! ;;'x

**Chapter 1**

**"Future Plans, Past Faces"**

Sunshine has a unique ability in the way that with just a few beams of glowing light the way we look at something can be completely changed or intensified. The bright shine of the sun tends to invoke emotions and feelings of happiness, joy and optimism all of which Kate Murphy was experiencing as she stands beside her bed watching her newly found partner sleeping peacefully. Even after four secretive but intense love filled months of their budding relationship intensifying more every day, Kate still found herself almost hypnotized by her employee turned lover.

As the early morning September sun runs its golden beams across Megan's slightly freckled skin, Kate couldn't help but smile from ear to ear, her crystal blue eyes enjoying the sight beside her. Kate may have already gotten showered and dressed but Megan's perfectly sculpted still naked body was covered from the hips down by a thin white sheet. Kate slowly leans across placing a warm kiss on to Megan's awaiting lips, which twitched the moment contact, was made.  
"Morning..." Kate whispers softly her eyes waiting for Megan's to open as her hand slides over her lover's hip and waist. Megan's hand quickly finds its place with Kate's and they quickly interlock their fingers as Megan's eyes open to what to her was a sight she would never get tired of.  
"Have I told you how much I love waking up like this?" Megan asks with a grin looking up at Kate with happiness radiating from her. Kate smiles wrapping her arm around Megan's neck so Megan's head was settled in to the crook of her elbow and her hand could stroke Megan's cheek.  
"I think it has come up." She replies shifting her own body on to the bed properly and in a little closer to Megan's still naked body from the night before. "We'll have to sort out if Lacey can stay at Todd's more often." She jokes nuzzling her face gently in against Megan's who nods.  
"Or... we could just tell everybody about us and then we wouldn't need Lacey to stay at Todd's and me and you sneak out of here ten minutes apart for work, we could go in together." Megan suggests not sure how Kate would react as they hadn't really mentioned coming out in the open before now.

Kate was shocked but as she gazes in to Megan's green eyes it soon becomes clear Megan was serious as Kate couldn't deny she loved the idea of not having to be secretive or sneak around anymore.  
"Are you sure you're ready? I mean I don't want you to feel like I'm rushing you I know it's gonna be a bit of a task explaining it to Lacey and at the end of the day Megan you have to put her first." Kate replies wanting to make sure that Megan was a hundred percent sure. Megan smiles brightly as she runs her free hand up to Kate's warm cheek and just brushes her thumb over her skin tenderly.  
"I'm sure Kate, at first this was a shock, new... I guess even somewhat an experiment but these past four months have been amazing. I know this, me and you it's what I want, it's what makes me happy and I really don't want to wait any longer. We don't need to wait, we know how we feel now, we're stable and I wanna show everyone how much I care about you." Megan explains meaning every single word, their eyes never once losing contact as they just share the moment.  
"Then let's do it." Kate replies leaning down again to meet Megan with a kiss that Megan eagerly accepts needing to feel that connection again.

Every time their lips met it was as though a wave overcame the pair of them and they could no long control their actions. Megan's body turns so she is laid on her hip and her arms wrap securely around Kate's taller body pulling their hips together. Kate's fingers stretch out in to Megan's brown hair as their tongues each fight for position as the kiss intensifies. Megan's lips clamp down tightly over Kate's bottom lip as she pushes her leg in between Kate's.

"Me... Megan we, we can't." Kate groans with annoyance wanting more than anything to continue as the fire spreads through her body with pure attraction. "We need to get ready to head in to the office; we're already going to be late at this rate." She points out as their lips barely part enough for her to speak. Megan's outstretched lips reluctantly relax and her green eyes lock back on to Kate's as she lets out a slow, heavy sigh trying to calm her urges.  
"I know you're right." She admits pulling herself up properly in the bed and sitting on the edge facing away from the woman that drove her so crazy. It was the only way Megan could regain control of her actions after getting so hot and bothered.  
"We'll make it up later?" Kate suggests with a raised eyebrow as Megan looks over her shoulder to her and lets out a giggle and nods.  
"You better believe it; I keep telling you to get proper walls in your office for this reason alone." Megan half jokes as she stands up from Kate's bed and stretches. "Is it okay if I grab a quick shower?" She asks walking around the bedroom towards the en-suite. Kate's eyes couldn't help but watch every movement Megan's body made as it left her side but she nods.  
"Of course, help yourself. I'll make us a coffee and some toast." She replies with a smirk wondering how she had stopped herself just then from taking this further.

Kate picks up her heels she had picked out and checks her hair and makeup in the mirror before she walks through to her living room with a smile, enjoying the feeling of the warm glowing sun brushing upon her cheeks. Kate checks her phone, checking for any missed messages before placing it back down on the counter top to get a few more minutes of charge. She then pops a few slices of bread in to the toaster and pushes down the button to the coffee pot. As she finds herself waiting Kate's eyes find their way over to one of the only pictures Kate had showing in her apartment. Kate wanders over and picks it up, the faces staring back at her making her smile deepen but heart sink.

There was a reason Kate didn't surround herself with pictures or tokens of her past and it was because whenever she would allow herself, or slip up and look at them she would become completely lost by them and their memories. The coffee pot beeps and toast pops but it took the ringing of her phone to wake her from her trance. It was work the very thing that in till Megan had kept her distracted from her past and her emotions was also the one thing that would wake her from them. Kate quickly slams the picture frame down on to the arm of the sofa and rushes to her phone to answer it.  
"Hello, doctor Kate Murphy speaking..." Kate answers with her usual, sharp, precise but still warm work voice. "I see... well don't worry I'll contact her myself and send her on the way, she really is the best I have. Okay, not a problem at all. Bye."

Megan walks through from the bedroom doing up her blouse as Kate ends the call and places her phone back down on to the counter.  
"Is everything okay?" Megan asks curiously as her eyes spot the picture on the arm of the sofa finding it odd, especially for someone as prim and proper as Kate.  
"Huh? Oh yeah that was Sam's replacement, looks like we have a case. He said he had tried to call you three times but got no response so he left you a text as well." Kate explains as she turns around and spots Megan about to pick up the picture.  
"What? I must have left my phone in my bag." Megan says distracted by the news of a case and quickly turns and starts looking for her bag.  
"It's on the armchair." Kate points over to the armchair and discreetly picks up the picture and places it to the side and out of the way.  
"Oh yeah" Megan says thankfully heading over and fishing her phone out of her crimson handbag. "Yep, three missed calls and a message with the address." Megan explains with annoyance at herself for having left her phone in her bag all night.  
"Well the most important thing is you got the message, I'll take you; just let me pour a cup of coffee." Kate says trying to avoid looking back to where she had placed the picture as she walls through to the kitchen and grabs her travel mug.  
"Are you sure you don't mind?" Megan asks reading through the message she had been sent. "Look like it's a male driver, shot in the back of the head. Probably gang related..." Megan reveals her eyes still glued to her phone.

Kate's blue eyes grow wide and she just stares straight at Megan, her whole face turning a sick white.  
"What... what did you say?" Kate asks in nothing more than a whisper as her heartbeats so fast she could feel each thud in her ears.  
"Huh?" Megan asks with a frown looking up from her phone but noticing how dishevelled Kate looked all of a sudden.  
"What did you say about a male driver?" Kate repeats trying to get her voice louder but it wasn't working, it was as though something was holding her back.  
"Kate? What's wrong, you've gone pale..." Megan asks with deep concern walking over forgetting completely about the case. "Kate! You're pouring coffee on your hand!" Megan screams jumping forward noticing how a dazed Kate was letting her mug overflow right on to her hand.

Kate looks down and the pain hits her and she quickly drops the mug and shoves her hand under the cold tap but her eyes stay locked on Megan.  
"But what did you say?" Kate asks again the pain registering but not seeming to have any effect even though her skin was red raw and clearly burned. Megan quickly starts to see to the injury and just shakes head.  
"What? Kate, it doesn't matter we need to make sure your hand is okay."  
"No Megan what did you say?" Kate insists this time finding her volume and shocking Megan slightly. Megan's eyes lock on to Kate's and see a desperate woman starring back at her. She keeps tending to Kate's injury but clears her throat.  
"I just said it looks like a male driver, shot in the back of the head. That's all; it's nothing to worry about..." Megan explains as Kate slowly nods realising how strange her actions must be coming across.  
"Oh, right I see. Well we best get you there right away all the same." Kate insists not at all bothered about the now throbbing in her hand where she had burnt it.  
"But your hand..."  
"It's just a minor burn, it will be fine. Don't worry, didn't even hurt." Kate says with a smile as she cleans up the mess on the floor leaving Megan in confusion.

As they pull up at the crime scene in Kate's car Megan couldn't help but find herself still wondering what in the world had gotten in to Kate. Kate however was almost in a daze, focused and quiet in till she stops the car just across the street from the cordon tape.  
"Thanks for the lift; you really should let me check on that burn though." Megan says softly reaching over and gently squeezing her bosses' upper thigh. Kate's blue eyes that were focused on the scene slowly turn to look at Megan.  
"What? Sorry, um look honestly its fine. I promise." She smiles trying her best to be convincing as she unbuckles her seat belt and shifts in the seat.  
"Kate, its okay I've got this sorted, sounds like a gang hit." Megan insists but Kate just shakes her head picking up her briefcase from the side.  
"I just want to talk with Bud..." She mutters pushing open her car door and stepping out her eyes scanning the scene for information on what had happened but also for Bud.

Megan knew something wasn't right but she had her job to do so all though her heart was screaming at her to follow Kate, her brain wins and she goes over to the scene. As she ducks down under the tape and slips on her gloves, she is quickly met by Bud.  
"Was that Kate I just saw walking past?" He asks clearly on edge, his eyes scanning across the area he thought he saw Kate go off to.  
"Yeah, she said she wanted to talk to you actually." Megan replies as Bud finally makes eye contact with her.  
"Where is she?" He asks the urgency clear in his voice. Megan frowns slightly but points across to where Kate was talking with a few uniformed officers. "Great, thanks. Sam's replacement will talk you through everything, he is just over there." Bud explains already rushing over towards Kate and flapping his hand carelessly in the direction of his new partner, near the vehicle.

Bud quickly reaches Kate and holds his hand to her shoulder to get her attention.  
"Kate? Look..."  
"Is it the same?" Kate quickly snaps before Bud could say anything. Bud sighs and bows his head trying to calm the situation as best as he can. Bud reaches up to take her arm and walk her away from the scene but Kate pulls away frantically. "BUD! Just tell me okay?!" Kate screams making everyone nearby turn and look. Kate gulps hard and lets out a strong sigh as she pulls back her long blonde hair and closes her eyes. "I just need to know Bud okay, please."  
"Okay, okay listen, from what we've found out so far it looks to be the same but Kate it doesn't mean it is. We don't know anywhere near enough yet to know that for sure." Bud replies the worry in his voice evident as Kate's world starts to close in on her.

Megan watches Bud scurry off and just lets out a confused and concerned sigh before heading towards the vehicle. Her maroon high heels click against the concrete in a soft rhythm as she starts to examine the car in till she reaches the driver's side and the male detective, in a navy blue suit crouched down by the open door.  
"You must be the M.E" The man says without turning his head a fraction. "Do you always wear such appropriate footwear to crime scenes?" He continues causing Megan's eyes to narrow and her head to tilt to one side in annoyance and curiousness.  
"Excuse me?" Megan replies her voice sharp and her unhappiness clear. The detective bows his head and bits back a grin before rising properly to his feet. He takes a step to the side and turns to face Megan properly, his jaw clenched ready for the reaction he knew as coming his way. Megan's eyes meet with the detectives and her anger quickly reaches her facial expression "Tommy?"


	2. The Past Becomes the Present

_**All I can say is WOW and thank you to all of you who have taken the time to not only read this fic but also leave a review. I can't believe the feedback I have gotten already, you guys are beyond amazing, thank you all truly! Honestly thank you all so much and I hope you all enjoy this next chapter and hopefully you will leave a review and let me know what you think again. You are all amazing thank you deeply! Enjoy this next chapter ;;'x**_

**Chapter 2**

**"The Past Becomes the Present"**

Megan's green eyes start to simmer with a rage that could burn a hole through anything and anyone.  
"That's me, detective Tommy Sullivan." Tommy quips back his smug expression only making Megan's anger worse.  
"Tommy, you better have an amazing reason for being here right now or I swear..."  
"Or you swear what Megan? I'm here because there was a job opening and I needed a job." Tommy explains being sure to cut in before Megan's anger boiled over.  
"And you just happened to get a job here, in Philly?" Megan asks, raising her eyebrows in a questioning manner. Tommy's lips flex in to a grin and he runs a hand up through his brown hair as he lets his tongue run across his bottom lip.  
"I know you may find this hard to believe Megan but not everything is about you." He explains before looking her up and down with a smirk. "You are looking pretty good though."  
"BITE ME!" Megan snipes.

Kate meanwhile was talking with Bud but pacing up and down, her arms folded across her chest defensively.  
"You see you're saying you don't know enough to say it's the same but I say we do. Bud a guy, shot in the back of the head in his car the exact same day that nine years ago a guy was found shot in the back of his head in his car?" Kate rants her voice filled with a rage that her whole body seemed to be containing.  
"Kate, we both know there are big differences from that case and this one. This could be anything, gang related, anything. We can't go jumping to conclusions..." Bud replies trying to calm down the chief medical examiner who he had known for years.  
"Does he have a child!?" Kate asks interjecting herself before Bud could finish his point. Bud sighs and looks up to the sky almost as if asking for some kind of help.  
"Kate at this point we..."  
"Does... he... have... a ... child?!" Kate screams jumping a foot forward, pushing her face within inches of Buds. "Yes... okay yes! He has a son, we have sent officers round to the house now to speak to his wife." Bud assures the tall, leggy blonde who just spins around and clutches her hand to her chest.  
"Oh my god, it's happened again..." She panics but Bud grips her hand gently and tries to get her to look at him.  
"Kate, we don't know that you are jumping to conclusions. Look at me Kate, Kate! Look at me okay? There is nothing that says this is happening again and even if it is this time I promise you, the outcome will be different." Bud assures her looking deeply in to her blue eyes, seeing the pain and wishing he could take it away.  
"I hope you're right Bud..." Kate says before pulling her arm away and walking off needing to try and clear her head.

Megan meanwhile has managed to get her anger under control and was now turning her attention back to the scene. "Now are you going to talk me through what we have here or?" She asks sarcastically finding it hard to even look at his smug face.  
"Sounds good to me." Tommy replies his eyes unable to stop checking Megan out again. "This is Jack Maslen, thirty years old married with one son, James five years old. A witness driving by noticed the car parked up on the sidewalk, back door wide open as well as the driver's side. When they took a closer look they noticed the blood and Jack here, slumped over the wheel and called 911." Tommy explains as Megan takes a closer look at the male body slumped over the steering wheel.  
"Well, you were right he has been shot in the back of the head. By the size of the wound and impact around it, it was close range possibly even complete contact when the trigger was pulled." Megan explains as she looks over the car more. "You said the back door was open as well?" Megan asks as she scans the back seat.  
"Yeah, that's right."  
"Tommy, I think his son has been kidnapped. The child's seat, its strap's been snapped, see?" Megan points out as she examines the seat a little closer. "And there's a toy on the floor, he was probably holding it when the attack happened."

Bud walks up behind them as they examine the back seat area closer and sighs, deeply concerned. He goes to speak when one of the uniformed officers walks over.  
"We just got word from the officers who went to talk with Jack's wife Samantha; she said that Jack was taking James to kinder garden today." He reveals as Bud turns away in frustration and kicks out at the nearest thing that happened to be a mail box.  
"Okay, well we have our confirmation; we have a missing child, suspected kidnapping. We need a full amber alert out, tell the officers with his wife to get a picture of James as quickly as they can me and Bud will be there shortly." Tommy orders walking off to sort everything out as time was now even more precious and vital.

"Bud, what's wrong? I know this is upsetting but... there's something else isn't there?" Megan asks having watched Bud's reaction closely. Bud lets out a huge sigh and hangs his head up almost in disbelief.  
"Nine years ago, almost to the day... this exact same thing happened. A father was taking his five year old daughter to kinder garden when he was shot in the back of the head and killed and his daughter was taken." Bud explains with a heavy sigh.  
"And what happened?" Megan prods, deep down knowing by his reaction the case was never resolved but needing to hear it out loud all the same.  
"We never found the killer or the little girl." Bud answers his whole attitude deflated.  
"Well that's not going to happen this time Bud, this time we are going to find this child! Megan, I want you to find whatever it is you can from Jack's body, as soon as you can. We are not going to let history repeat its self with this case, we're just not!" Kate snaps, appearing from what seemed like nowhere.

Everything then turned in to a whirlwind, Bud and Tommy quickly descended on Jack's home to interview his wife properly and try and find as much information out about James as they possibly could. Back at the office Kate had made sure the autopsy for Jack took place as quickly and efficiently as humanly possible. Everyone was concerned and worried for the safe return of James but Megan, like everyone could see this case was hitting Kate especially hard.

The autopsy unfortunately doesn't yield any significant information that they didn't already know. Jack was shot in the back at the head, execution style. It was a clean and precise attack, no one in the early morning Philly streets saw a thing and the evidence was next to none. The bullet they recovered was the only thing they could use in the investigation that had the potential to help them.

Kate walks in to the lab and looks over to Curtis and Ethan who were working on the little trace evidence they found on Jack's body, clothing and car to see if it had anything to reveal.  
"Well? Do you have anything?" Kate snaps, her usual warm voice gone and replaced with a cold bite that takes both Curtis and Ethan by surprise.  
"Uh, well we haven't got anything ...yet no..." Curtis replies his eyes growing wide as Kate's face turns to annoyance.  
"Well don't you think you better try a little harder, rather than sitting here chatting on work time?" Kate scream, pushing over a work top and letting everything on it crash to the floor making everyone in the office turn round. "There is a little girl missing, kidnapped by god knows who and you..." Kate continues to rage back before Ethan interrupts.  
"But it's... its not."  
"What? What's not?" Kate snipes leaning in closer to the young doctor who was now sweating with fear. Megan spots the scene from the morgue and quickly rushes over.  
"It's not... a little girl Doctor Murphy, it's... it's a boy." Ethan corrects her with a timid voice that was still determined to get his point across. Kate's body reacts like it just got hit with a basketball to the stomach; she takes a giant step backwards, goes pale and holds her hands to her waist. Her blue eyes once so fierce suddenly drain away in to a glazed over mist.

Megan instantly jumps in to action and grabs Kate's waist to keep her upright seeing how her whole body had reacted.  
"Kate?" Megan asks in a confused but soft whisper, her concern for her lover growing seeing just how pale she had turned all of a sudden. Kate's hands push Megan away and she just bows her head to look at the floor and nods in the direction of Ethan and Curtis.  
"I'm sorry." She mutters before scurrying back to her office as quickly as her shaking legs would carry her.  
"What was that about?" Ethan asks innocently, looking to both Curtis and Megan for some kind of answer that neither of them could give.  
"I have no idea." Curtis replies his eyes like Ethan and Megan's watching Kate closely as she retreats to her office.  
"Just get back to work okay?" Megan suggests not letting her eyes leave Kate before heading over to her office herself.

Once in the confines of her office, Kate's body crumbles beneath her and she slumps down quickly in to her office chair as a heavy sigh leaves her lungs. She buries her face in against her trembling hands wishing more than anything she could just disappear. As much as Kate wanted to just retreat within herself something she couldn't explain draws her head up and her eyes focus on a picture starring directly at her from her desk.  
"What the hell was that Kate?! We are all trying our best on this case, you know we are. What is going on with you?" Megan shouts with a mix of anger, confusion and worry as she bursts in to Kate's office, slamming the door closed behind her. Kate however doesn't respond her eyes just stay transfixed on the picture as her face slowly cracks in to a smile. "Kate?" Megan says softly, slowly taking a step closer. Again Kate doesn't respond so Megan walks around the back of the desk so she was stood next to Kate and could see what she was so intently looking at.

Megan like Kate can't help but smile seeing the picture.  
"Is that you with your dad?" Megan asks noticing how the little girl with big blue eyes and shoulder length blonde hair looked so content next to the man who had the loving look that only a father could produce. Kate just shakes her head sadly and gulps back some tears.  
"It's just a family photo." Kate explains sharply, reaching out and turning the picture away from her and Megan's eye sight. "Just leave it yeah?"

Before Megan got the chance to respond there was a knock at Kate's office door and Tommy was stood outside, trying to get their attention. Kate quickly pulls herself together and opens her office door up to the detectives, trying to act as normal as she could manage.  
"We've just been to speak with James' mother; we have a full media appeal in full swing to find him. I thought it would be a good idea, if we looked over the previous case together and see if there is anything that may help us find James and his father's killer." Tommy explains holding up the case file as Megan walks over to hear the suggestion.  
"Sounds like a good idea for once, detective Sullivan." Megan snipes knowing her conversation with Kate not only had been interrupted but clearly had no chance of being carried on either. Tommy takes the shot with a smirk as Megan walks out of Kate's office. "We can use the conference room." She instructs strutting off down the hall to the private room.

Tommy looks to Kate and smiles holding his arm out in the direction Megan walked off in.  
"You are coming too right?" He asks innocently as Bud appears behind him, his eyes locked on Kate's who tries desperately to avoid the gaze.  
"Of course" She answers with a gulp and nod, her stomach knotting with every word. Tommy nods and walks off in to the conference room with Megan. Bud shakes his head with a sigh and walks next to Kate so he could talk in more of a whisper.  
"You don't have to do this Kate..." He points out sympathetically but Kate just ignores him and takes a step forward.  
"Yes I do." She snaps back, keeping her eyes focused in front of her knowing if she allowed herself to look at Bud properly she would break down. Bud lets out a heavy sigh but couldn't argue and just follows the chief medical examiner into the room.

One Bud and Kate had joined himself and Megan, Tommy quickly gets out pictures and reports of the case nine years ago and hands them around the table.  
"Now, from what it says here Bud, you actually worked this case? Maybe you would be better to explain it than me." He suggests noticing the shifty and on edge manner of his new partner.  
"Of course" Bud replies, reluctantly as he picks up the case notes, not even having to look down for every detail to come flooding back. "Nine years ago, to the day at half eight in the morning dispatch got a call from a concerned mother walking to school with her children. A car was parked up on the pavement, both the driver's door and back passengers door wide open. At first she was just calling to report an abandoned car, probably teenagers, joy riding but while on the phone she discovered a body." Bud explains before stopping as Tommy passes along crime scene photos of the first victim.

Kate's eyes never once look down, instead she just stares past Bud and out of the office window trying to give the illusion she was looking and listening to him.  
"Once at the scene, in the back seat we found a child's backpack and teddy bear. We later discovered the victim was twenty eight year old, lawyer with a wife and five year old daughter, Alice." Bud continues, finding each word harder to say. Megan looks up, a question clearly burning in her brain as Tommy slides a picture of the father and his young daughter from the file across to everyone.  
"What was the victim's name?" Megan asks as her attention turns to the new picture.

Bud hesitates and stares at Kate who was biting on her bottom lip, her arms folded across her chest defensively as tears fill her blue eyes.  
"Scott... Scott Murphy." Kate reveals, interrupting as Megan's eyes make contact with the new picture and she instantly recognises it as the picture Kate had been starting at before in her office. "He was my husband and Alice... was... is our daughter."


	3. The Connection

_**Okay first of all I just want to say a huge sorry in the delay it has taken me to update this story but well I have had a fair bit going on recently. First of all it was my 21st birthday and then my Nan's 81st the week after so things have been very busy that and hospital visits and some personal stuff which would bore you all senseless but anyway thank you for all sticking with me through it. **_

_**Secondly thank you all SO much for the follows and reviews of this story I can not tell you how overwhelmed I am by them and how much it keeps me writing and motivated to know you are enjoying it and wanting to know what happens next. I read each one and appreciate it hugely so thank you truly! **_

_**And now thirdly enough of me yammering on here is the third chapter, I hope you continue to enjoy it and hopefully let me know what you think of it as well! ;;'x**_

**Chapter 3**

**"The Connection"**

Shock didn't even come close to describe the atmosphere that instantly overcame the conference room as the last word left Kate's mouth. Kate didn't know where to look; she could feel Megan's eyes almost burning a hole through her as everything fell in to a deafening silence. Kate slowly gulps her mouth suddenly becoming incredibly dry. Shakily she reaches out and takes a sip of some water that was on the desk but as she looks down her eyes make contact with the picture of the back of Scott's head from the crime scene and she drops the glass spilling water everywhere.

Tommy jumps up from his seat and sighs a little not sure what to make of the revelation he had just heard.  
"Maybe we should give you a few minutes?" He suggests scooping all of the pictures up back in to the folder. Bud nods in agreement and reaches out for his friend seeing how she was shaking from head to toe. Kate however pulls away and shakes her head.  
"I'm fine Bud..." Her blue eyes slowly make contact with Megan who was facing the windows looking out on the Philly streets beneath them. "I just need a few minutes to get my head together." She explains before rushing out of the conference room with tightness in her chest as everything seems to just fall apart.

"How come I have never heard about this before?" Megan asks, her hands clenching together as Bud cleans up the spilt water and just sighs.  
"Kate's never spoken about it since it happened. After a year of searching for Alice, the chief decided it was a hopeless case and shelved it. Kate just seemed to... shut down I guess. Work became everything to her, she just focused on that I guess to block out the pain. I tried to talk about it a few times but she would just blank what I said, change the subject... runaway." He adds motioning to the door Kate had just fled through.  
"Was there not any leads at all?" Megan asks in disbelief trying to get her head around everything she had just learnt. Bud shrugs and shakes his head with a sigh wishing he could offer something, anything but there was absolutely nothing.  
"No, it just went cold. There were no witnesses, the forensics were well there weren't any and no matter how hard we looked we couldn't find anyone with any type of a grudge against Kate or Scott at all."  
"But Scott was a lawyer right? What about his past clients?" Tommy asks interrupting to Megan's annoyance.  
"Did you not read the case file you're holding there Tommy?" Megan snipes her bitterness for him clear in every word she spoke. Tommy shakes his head and just throws the case file across the desk and walks out of the room having had more than enough Megan Hunt for one day.

Megan just snarls knowing she was taking out her frustrations on Tommy unfairly but needing to release them all the same. She turns to Bud as if asking for an answer to the question Tommy had asked.  
"We looked in to all of that and Scott won every one of his cases, he was loved by everyone...it was a complete mystery." Bud explains as Megan's mind wanders in to thoughts of why Kate had never told her.  
"What about the girl? Weren't there any sightings of her at all?" Megan asks again and Bud just sighs.  
"The usual yeah and we followed them all up only to be met with dead ends." Bud replies as Megan makes mental notes of every detail she was being told, she had to try and make sense of it somehow.

Kate was sat in her chair, pen in hand going over paperwork as if nothing had happened but the effects were obvious. Her face had turned as pale as it could get and as hard as she tried her trembling body was obvious to anyone who looked. Tommy knocks hesitantly before hearing a short sharp reply.  
"Come in."  
"Sorry, I just thought someone should check to see if you were..."  
"if I was okay? Well I am, I just want to find this little boy and whoever killed his father in cold blood." Kate explains sternly as Tommy finds her attitude admirable.  
"Well okay, how about you come with me to interview the kinder garden teacher?" Tommy suggests much to Kate's shock.  
"The kinder garden teacher..."  
"Yes uh a Mrs Slater?" Tommy explains quickly glancing in his notebook for the name which clearly rings a bell with Kate.  
"Mrs Slater? That... that was Alice's ..." Kate gulps down her emotions in order to continue with her sentence. "Alice's teacher to, that's a connection, that has to mean something!" Kate explains hurriedly as Tommy quickly has the same thought run across his mind.  
"Really, the same teacher you're sure?" Tommy asks only to be met with a less than amused look from Kate. "Well let's go then; maybe this is the connection we need to find James." Tommy adds quickly opening the office door to leave but Kate walks through it before he even has chance. "Kate you can't come now..."  
"I'm coming detective Sullivan and I think we both know you're not going to stop me."

As they race towards the elevator Megan and Bud come out of the conference room and quickly rush to see where they were heading.  
"Turns out Mrs Slater, James's teacher was also Alice's I think we should go and have a chat with her, don't you Bud?" Tommy explains as Bud focuses more on the fact Kate seemed to be going with them.  
"Bud, please... I let down my little girl but I'm not going to let down James. Besides maybe seeing me will help jog her memory." Kate pleads desperate to do something to help and in her eyes make up for what she couldn't do with her own child. Bud sighs knowing better than to argue and gives a faint nod as the elevator arrives. Megan shakes her head and reaches out for Kate's arm grabbing it gently and forcing her to turn and look at her.  
"Kate..." She mutters with concern to which Kate just shakes her head and pulls her arm away as her eyes lock into a gaze with her secret lovers and they have a conversation all on their own without saying another word. Megan slowly lets out an unhappy sigh but nods in agreement and watches as the two detectives and her boss slash lover leave for the school.

Ethan walks up to Megan with a frown seeing the elevator doors close and Doctor Murphy leave with both detectives.  
"Is everything okay Doctor Hunt?" He asks hesitantly not sure what her reaction was going to be.  
"I hope so..." Megan mutters to herself before turning to the young scientist and getting her doctor's head on. "Get me Jack's body again, there has to be something we're missing that can help us." She orders determined she was going to help in any way she could and the best way she could was finding something on the only evidence they had, the body.

Kate stays silent the entire journey and ignores the looks Bud tries to give her through the rear view mirror as his concern for his friend only grows.  
"Okay now, just let us ask the questions." Tommy instructs as the three of them walk through the main doors of the school. Kate just rolls her eyes at him and instantly gets flashbacks to nine years previous, nothing much had changed and it took everything she had not to let a tear fall. Bud was less than pleased that Kate was there but knew there was no stopping her and deep down understood why she had to do this.  
"Please come through to Ms Slater's classroom, the children have all left now but she's still here clearing things up." The receptionist informs them before walking them through the familiar corridors to the small kinder garden class at the very end of the school.

As they walk into the classroom they are met by a fifty year old, short lady with greying, white blonde hair who looked like the sweetest version of a young Mrs Claus you have ever seen. With reading glasses on a thin beaded chain, red rosy cheeks and pure blue eyes she was every parent's ideal vision of kinder garden teacher.  
"Hello, I believe you want to ask me some questions?" She says sweetly, her voice just as soft as her hair. Tommy nods respectfully suddenly remembering his manners.  
"Just a few if you don't mind Ms Slater... I am detective Sullivan and this is my partner Detective Morris." Tommy says introducing them as Bud shakes hands with the smiling teacher.  
"Nice to meet you both, please call me Penny." She insists as Tommy smiles and gestures towards Kate.  
"And this is the Chief medical examiner Kate..."  
"Murphy..." The teacher finishes Tommy's sentence having now made eye contact with Kate who was forcing herself to keep her composure. "I can't lie as soon as I heard the news about poor James and his father I instantly thought of you. It's been too long; I just wish we were seeing each other under better circumstances." Penny explains reaching for Kate's hand and offering a sincere sentiment. Kate feels her heart ready to jump out of body but nods her thanks.  
"I need some air." She stutters rushing out of the backdoors of the classroom into the small play area, closing her eyes and taking in some deep breaths.

As the sounds of the outside fill her ears Kate can't help but remember images of her baby girl as she remembered her, five years old full of energy and life.  
"Excuse me?" A voice says very softly waking Kate from her memories that she wanted to get lost in. Kate eyes instantly open as she blinks back tears and she nods to the young teenage girl stood in front of her. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you..."The girl says respectfully. Kate shakes her head and forces a smile.  
"You didn't, can I help you?"  
"Well are you with the police about James Maslen?" The girl asks her eyes soft and avoiding Kate's gaze.  
"Yes I am, well I'm a medical examiner but I am working with the police, why? Do you have some information?" Kate asks a sudden surge of hope jolting through her body and giving her back the energy that had been zapped from her since finding out about the new case.  
"Well... I think so yes." The girl reveals making Kate's face light up with the hope her heart was now feeling.  
"Come with me." Kate instructs reaching out and taking the girls hand tightly, noticing how cold it was as she walks back in to the classroom.

"Bud, this girl says she has some information about James" Kate reveals pulling the clearly hesitant teenage girl behind her. Penny looks over and frowns.  
"That's my daughter Kayla; she normally spends a few hours before and after school cleaning up with me before we go home." She explains standing up and going over to her daughter, wrapping her around her shoulder tightly. "Do you have information Kayla; you must tell the police if you do." She instructs as her daughter looks down at her feet with a gulp.  
"Well... well I think I do, it's just I ... I saw something." The young girl starts to explain as Bud, Tommy and Kate listen with great interest.  
"Any information you have no matter how small you may think it is could be a great help Kayla." Tommy explains as Penny sits her young daughter down and stands behind her, stroking back her long blonde hair.  
"Yesterday after class, James was waiting for his mom to pick him up. I sometimes help mum clean up and stuff and just before his mom arrived there was this man." She gulps hard as she remembers back clearly feeling guilty for not mentioning it at the time. "I thought he might just be someone's dad or something but he kept watching James and when his mom turned up he disappeared. I know it's not much but it seemed odd and when I heard what happened I just thought you should know." Kayla explains as her mother strokes back her hair and smiles sadly kissing the top of her head.  
"You did the right thing Kayla, good girl." Penny assures her young daughter who just looks down at her lap with a gulp.

Both Bud and Tommy share a look before turning their attention back to Kayla.  
"Do you think you can remember what he looked like Kayla, enough to give a description?" Bud asks as the young girl slowly nods.  
"Yes... I remember his face exactly, ever since I found out about James it's just been swirling around in my head." She explains as Tommy smiles to her.  
"That's great, we'll need you to come down and sit with are sketch artist and with your help you will make a composite sketch of the man you saw and then we can get it sent everywhere in till we find him." Tommy explains seeing how nervous the young girl was.  
"Of course anything we can do to help detective." Penny butts in as she rubs her daughter's shoulders repeatedly. Tommy nods with a smile directed more to Kayla as he sits down opposite her.  
"Now we just need some information. Your name and your age and address things like that..." Tommy explains as Ms Slater hovers above them, keeping a strong eye connection with her daughter.  
"Kayla is sixteen detective ..." Penny explains taking over and giving Tommy all the information he asked for as Kayla looks over to Kate and Bud with her mother's hands tight on her shoulders and leaning over her.

Kate smiles to her as her and Bud stand back praying this lead would prove to be of some help and they would be able to find young James and bring him back safely.  
"We have to stay positive Kate; this is one lead closer than we got..." Bud trails off but Kate just nods in agreement.  
"Than we got before I know and you're right we have to stay positive and we will no matter what we're going to find James Bud." Kate assures him as again she notices the young girl looking in their direction.

It was around eight at night by the time Kayla was finished with the sketch artist at the station and her mother brought her back home to their modest apartment. As soon as the front door was closed Penny's face turned from a sweet smile in to a sinister grin.  
"That's my good girl, doing just mommy asked. You did brilliantly and it's a good job you did because you know what will happen if they find out the truth, don't you?" She asks as Kayla sits down in the armchair fearfully and just nods.  
"Yes mommy, I know." She repeats her eyes fixed on the bedroom door that was locked shut from the outside. Penny strides over grabbing Kayla's chin forcefully and looking in to her eyes deeply.  
"You better because if I think for one second you have betrayed me, well you know what will happen don't you?" Penny sneers but Kayla doesn't respond to frozen with fear to think let alone speak. "Don't you?!" Penny growls, as she digs her nails in to the sides of Kayla's young face.  
"Yes, yes I know and I won't... I promise I won't." Kayla promises her eyes wide with fear. Penny laughs and slowly strokes back Kayla's hair as she guides her head to her chest and holds her in securely.  
"Good girl, that's my good girl. He is mine now, my little boy just like you're my little girl. No one ever found you and no one will ever find him. Your own mother didn't recognise you today, I still can't believe they brought you were sixteen. I thought you've always had such a young looking face, delicate and beautiful... like a china doll." Penny reveals starting to laugh loudly at her deception as Kayla's heart sinks in her chest.  
"My mother..." She stutters fearfully as Penny nods with a sinister grin.  
"Yes Alice, you were stood right in front of her and she had no idea."


	4. Comfort In Sorrow & Fear

_**First of all I just wanted to say a huge and massive THANK YOU to all of your amazing people who have not only taken the time to read this fic (I love you all too) but you have also taken the time to leave me a review. **_

_**This chapter has taken me longer to write than I had planned but after being very sick in hospital and family commitments time just seemed to slip away from me. All I can really do is say sorry but also thank you to those of you who have stuck with me even in the delay. **_

_**I hope this next chapter makes up for it somewhat and of course you enjoy it (Like I always hope lol) Thank you to all of you reading and if you leave a review as well an extra big thank you goes to you as they really do mean the world to me and help me more than you know. So anyway enough of me lets get on with chapter four! **_

**Chapter 4**

**"Comfort In Sorrow & Fear"**

It was soon well in to the early hours and every alert possible was out for James and his abductor or abductors. Both police officers and everyone at the M.E office had been working non-stop praying and looking for any type of clue as to who might have James and why.

The sad truth was there really was nothing more they could do in till they had some kind of evidence to examine but right now that was running scarce. Megan's blind stubbornness of course had meant she was the last person standing, refusing to give in and go home. The frustration of knowing a child was out there somewhere, terrified and alone with only god knows who, was starting to reach its limit in Megan's mind and heart. She felt like she had been over Jack's body over fifty times, from head to toe, each time trying to find a piece of evidence that just didn't seem to be there.

As the clock read two am even Dr Hunt realised her carrying on was only going to do more harm than good. The distinctive snap of her medical latex gloves rolling from her hands, echoes through the now abandoned M.E's office as a heavy sigh leaves her lungs. As much as Megan's logical brain told her she had done all she could, Megan's conscience still wouldn't relent.

Megan's entire body ached from head to toe, her thoughts now being allowed to focus back to Kate and the whole minefield that was that situation. After coming back from the kindergarten Kate had locked herself away in her office and as much as Megan wanted to address the situation she knew her job was to try and help find James alive and that was more important than anything.

After changing out of her scrubs and climbing back in to her clothes that she had put on the morning before at Kate's apartment, Megan quickly gathered her handbag and was making a b line for the elevator. It wasn't until she walked directly past her boss's office, which had all the blinds pulled that she noticed the bright light seeping from underneath the door. Was Kate still here? No one had seen or heard from her since she got back so it was a distinct possibility. As tired as she was and even with her body desperately calling for her bed, Megan knew she wasn't going anywhere without checking on Kate first.

As Megan walks inside the almost boarded up office, Kate's eyes don't leave her paperwork, all though all she could see was a blur of lines where her eyes had filled with tears.  
"So are you going to talk to me at all or just hideaway in here forever?" Megan asks sternly, her arms folding across her chest.  
"Get out of my office Megan, I have things I need to do." Kate snaps in reply, her eyes still moving up to acknowledge Megan's existence let alone presence.

For Kate her office had been a barrier from her and the rest of the world as she tried everything in her power to keep herself together and her pent up emotions of nearly a decade locked away. If she was honestly it wasn't really any kind of shock that Megan would be that one person who just steamrolled her barricade down.

"It is two in the morning and you have had the day from hell. Now I get you want to hide away, ignore that it's happening but you know me well enough to know I am never going to let that happen." Megan points out her eyes begging for Kate to finally look up. Kate doesn't even attempt to make any kind of sign of acknowledgement to Megan this time and it just quickly pissed Megan off. "Don't ignore me Kate!" Megan snaps surging towards her boss and spinning her around in the chair to face her. Kate didn't flinch though she just slowly looks up at Megan with an expressionless face.

Both women are caught in the moment unable to speak not sure what to say or how to react. Megan was suddenly hit in the heart with the pain in her lover's eyes and it was as though she couldn't breathe seeing someone she loved in so much turmoil. Kate's whole body was rigid and shaking as her emotions boil up and simmer underneath the perfect, all together exterior she had spent so long building up and keeping. Megan slowly reaches out her hand and cups Kate's cheek, expecting her to pull away but she doesn't. Kate's eyes flutter closed as Megan makes contact and a stream of hidden tears escape Kate's eyes as she leans her face in to Megan's touch.

The moment was soft and tender as Megan's thumb gently stretches out and strokes away the steady stream of tears that grace Kate's soft skin.  
"It... hurts..." Kate whispers as Megan gulps down a lump in her throat and feels every ounce of the woman she loves pain. Kate's body suddenly becomes limp and her head falls in against Megan's stomach and waist her hands reaching up and gripping Megan's curvy hips tightly as her mouth opens but nothing but a pained groan escapes her lungs.

Alone in a dark almost bare room was all too familiar for Kayla Slater, alone and darkness were the two most fitting words to sum up her young life. As the early morning sky seeps its shimmering star light on to Kayla's pale cheek, her mother's words bombarded her brain. Was she telling the truth? Had that tall, attractive, blonde woman with the police really been her mom? Or was this just another of Penny's control tactics?

In a feeble attempt to drown out her thoughts and many questions Kayla presses her cardboard like pillow over her ear as the other squashes down against the stiff mattress below. Just as the questions, worries and thoughts start to fade in to the background a haunting sound from the other room takes their place. The sounds brought tears to her young eyes and a pain to her heart that made it difficult to breathe.  
"Please don't cry..." She whispers to herself as the tears lacing her eyes start to slowly fall one by one down her cheeks.

The inner battle with her conscience was enough to make Kayla want to crawl in to a hole in the ground never to reappear but like everything else in her life she had no such luck. "I have to help him, I just have to." Kayla explains to herself as she sits up, gripping the edge of her thin mattress with sweating hands. "But if Penny finds out..." The inner voice in the back of her head chimes in, causing Kayla to shake her head fiercely. "I don't care! This isn't right, this is sick and wrong and... I'm the only person who can stop it, I have no choice." Kayla says to herself sternly as she holds her nerve and slowly creeps out of her room to do what she had to do.

The apartment was pitch black, surprisingly chilly for an early September night but all too fitting for what was going on inside it. Kayla's eyes were already, thankfully, adjusted to the darkness as she shuts her door behind her with the uttermost care not to make a single noise. She waits for a few seconds to check her mother truly had not heard her before letting out the breath she was holding and moving forward.  
"Where in the world did she put the key?" Kayla asks herself silently, her body starting to shake from fear of being caught. Kayla's eyes quickly scan her surroundings as a small glimmer from the sideboard next to the front door catches her attention. Kayla's sock covered feet slide silently across the wood floor as she finds the key to the locked door and holds it to her chest as she looks up to the ceiling as lets out a relieved thank you to whoever was listening.

Kayla had never had so much trouble finding a key hole in her life; it was as though the target kept moving. Every single time she would go to insert the key, the positioning of the lock would move half an inch in the opposite direction. Finally after using every ounce of concentration she had the lock turned and slowly Kayla made her way in to the now silent bedroom. As she silently shuts the door behind her, Kayla can feel the fear rising up around her.

"Shush, its okay James." She whispers venturing forward to the small shadow curled tightly in a ball in the far away corner of the room. "I'm not going to hurt you James, I promise. I'm here to help you." Kayla explains as she cautiously gets on to her knees still trying to be as quiet as humanly possible. "James?" Kayla whispers again slowly using her hands to drag herself closer to the terror stricken little boy.  
"I want my momma." He murmurs faintly, his little thumb pushed deep in to his mouth for some kind of comfort. Kayla's heart broke in two finally hearing his voice; it was so filled with fear but at the same time want and need. It was the want and need to be comforted from the only person who was ever going to be able to make him feel safe again, his mother.  
"I know you do..." Kayla hesitates not sure if she was ready to do this knowing the repercussions would be incredible but as her eyes meet with his she knew there was no choice about this, it HAD to be done. "That's why I'm going to take you to her. But you need to stay very quiet in till we get out of here, can you do that?" She asks knowing he was a terrified five year old whose whole life had been snapped away from him and this would be asking a lot.

Megan wasn't even sure if she knew how she had managed to get Kate to finally leave the office and go home. Kate had stayed silent and magically just gone along with everything Megan had suggested, it was as though she just didn't have the strength left to fight and Megan couldn't blame her.  
"Have you got your key?" Megan asks as they reach the front door to Kate's apartment, the stress of the day quickly showing its effects on both women. Kate slowly nods, reaching in to her handbag and going to open the lock but was quickly stopped by Megan's hand touching her lower back. Megan uses her other hand to gently take the key away knowing Kate could barely think straight let alone see straight. "Let me." She explains slowly turning the key and letting them both in.

"Do you want something to drink?" Megan asks setting her bag down on the counter top of the kitchen as Kate walks towards the sofa, un-tucking her blouse with a relieved breath escaping her lips.  
"No but feel free to help yourself to whatever you want." Kate replies, sinking down in to the sofa her hands quickly rising up to her face. Megan watches her with tired eyes and rubs the back of her own neck wishing she could help the woman she loved but knowing she couldn't.  
"How about I run a bath?" Megan suggests walking over from the kitchen and quickly holds out her hand to an almost defeated Kate. Kate's crystal blue eyes slowly lock in to a gaze with Megan and all though her heart felt as though it was being suffocated slowly by an ever tightening grip of despair, the look from Megan somehow gave her hope.

It isn't long before Kate is stood in her bedroom alone just starring at her reflection, wondering about her daughter and what she would look like now. Would she still have that same smile from all those years before? Did her eyes still sparkle in any light imaginable because they were such a bright blue? And what about her personality, did she still laugh uncontrollably when she was even slightly tickled or did she still need to be held during thunder storms? Or was she even still alive? The fact that Kate didn't have a single answer for any of the million questions swarming around in her head and heart was enough to just drain all life completely from her.

As her long, toned legs crumble beneath her as she hits the floor in nothing more than a heap Megan's heart instantly jumps into her mouth.  
"KATE!" Megan panics rushing forward, her sleeves still rolled up from where she had been running the bath.  
"I... I..." Kate stammers as Megan's secure and loving arms wrap tightly around the blondes, delicate shoulders and pull her in towards her.  
"Shush... shush... its okay." Megan assures rubbing gently over Kate's now bare skin where she was just in her underwear. Kate's blonde hair quickly sways from side to side as her head shakes in disagreement.  
"What do I do?" Kate asks as tear filled eyes gaze up to Megan looking for some kind of answer that would make everything okay but knowing there wasn't one.  
"Right now, you go and get in that warm bath I've just run. You soak in the bubbles, close your eyes and takes deep breaths. I wish I could say something that is going to fix this for you but I can't... but what I can do is be here for you every step of the way. And the first step is you going and getting in that bath okay?" Megan says sweetly as she moves to face Kate more face on and gently strokes her cheek.  
"I love you Megan..." Kate whispers leaning forward and placing a tender kiss on to Megan's awaiting lips needing to feel that familiar comfort that was unlike anything else in the world.  
"I love you too, always." Megan replies slowly rising to her feet but bringing Kate with her.

It took what seemed like forever for the young, trembling boy to peak his large brown eyes from his cowering stance and slowly nod. Kayla instantly lets out a sigh of relief and smiles as reassuringly as humanly possible and slowly offers her still shaking and sweaty hand. James takes the offer and instantly buries his tiny body in against Kayla's just wanting to be protected and secure and right now Kayla was all he had. Kayla gulps slightly taken back by the sudden interaction but quickly wraps her arms around him tightly and instinctively kisses the top of his young head.  
"It's going to be okay now James, I promise." She whispers, taking a second they didn't really have to let everything soak in and settle before formulating in her head what was going to happen next.

"Okay, wrap your arms around my neck James and just hold on tightly okay? I need you to stay quiet in till we get outside okay?" She explains letting his tiny arms hook around her neck, his head nuzzling in against her shoulder making her heart flutter. Kayla's life had been so secluded and withdrawn having this little boy in her arms gave her just as much comfort as it did him.  
"I scared..." James whispers tear clear in his voice but he was careful to keep the volume at a whisper like he had been told.  
"I know you are but I'm going to keep you safe if it's the last thing I ever do." Kayla assures him, holding her under his bottom as she guides him to her left hip and cautiously opens the bedroom door, poking her head out of the gap and checking the coast was still clear.

Upon seeing the still empty apartment, Kayla takes in a deep breath and holds it in her lungs as she rushes to the front door, unhooking the chain and grabbing her jacket from the hook to the side of them and wrapping it tightly around James's small body. She winches almost in pain as she pushes down the latch to unlock the door and pulls down the tiny lever before pulling it back and in one quick movement steps out in to the night air.


End file.
